The IBD/TIPP Economic Optimism Index gained 1.6 points, or 3.4% in March, posting a reading of 49.1 vs. 47.5 in February. The index is 2.0 points above its 12-month average of 47.1, 4.7 points above its reading of 44.4 in December 2007 when the economy entered the recession, and 0.1 points below its all-time average of 49.2.

The US economy grew in the final quarter of last year at a 2.2 percent rate, according to revised estimates that make 2014 the strongest year for economic growth since an initial postrecession rebound in 2010.

Just weeks after President Obama proclaimed that America had turned the corner and his "middle class economics" was working, the public is more pessimistic than they've been in months, and few think Obama's policies have significantly helped the middle class, the latest IBD/TIPP poll finds.

Amid growing concerns about the White House routinely meddling in military tactics, a new IBD/TIPP Poll finds big majorities unconvinced that President Obama has a clear plan to fight the Islamic State or that the coalition is winning against the Mideast's frightening new extremist entity.

As 2014 ends, Americans are in a more upbeat mood about their prospects, but no less split along partisan lines on a variety of issues after a hard-fought midterm election that led to sweeping changes in Congress.

Businesses hired 214,000 net new workers in October, and the unemployment rate fell to its lowest since the financial crisis. All in all, not a bad employment report. So why are Americans so disgruntled?